Mikel Arteta insists title-chasing Arsenal are taking each game at a time as they head into their final seven matches of the Premier League season.
The Gunners went into the weekend leading Liverpool on goal difference and sitting a point ahead of Manchester City.
Arteta’s men, who drew 2-2 with Bayern Munich in their Champions League quarter-final first leg at the Emirates on Tuesday, face Unai Emery’s Aston Villa on Sunday.
“It is the only thing possible to look at one day and one game,” Arteta told a press conference on Friday.
“It is the only thing that is possible because it’s the only thing that maintains your focus and determines the tasks that you have to do on the day, which is the only thing that you can control.”
The title race is set to go down to the wire as Arsenal set their sights on securing the Premier League title for the first time since 2004.
The north Londoners could find themselves knocked off top spot should Manchester City beat Luton and Liverpool pick up any points against Crystal Palace in the earlier fixtures.
Arteta called for his team to focus on themselves going into Sunday’s clash at the Emirates.
“We will know the results but we’ll still have our duty to win our game which is the only thing that we can control,” he added.
“That’s happened a few times already and it’s going to happen again in the next few weeks, so we’ll just focus on what we can do.
“It’s the most beautiful part of the season coming up right now and a very busy schedule. We’re going to have a really tough (game) against a really good side, and are we going to have to be really good to beat them.”
Injury-stricken Villa have some notable absences with the likes of Matty Cash, Douglas Luiz, Jacob Ramsey and Boubacar Kamara ruled out of the tie.
Arteta wants Arsenal to take advantage of their opponent’s poor fortunes.
He said: “We always try to use things to our advantage. We don’t know what they are going to do and that’s nothing we can control. They still won last night and they are a really good side, so we know the danger and we know our strengths as well, and we’ll try to do what we have to do to win.”
Bayern Munich manager Thomas Tuchel said he will avoid Bayer Leverkusen securing the Bundesliga title on Sunday by watching Arsenal’s Premier League match against Aston Villa instead.
Xabi Alonso’s Leverkusen are on the brink of being crowned champions and host Werder Bremen on Sunday.
Even if Bayern beat Cologne at the Allianz Arena a day earlier, Leverkusen – 16 points clear with just six matches remaining – will take their first title by seeing off Bremen.
However, Tuchel, whose side host Cologne fresh from a pulsating 2-2 Champions League draw at Arsenal on Tuesday night, will have his attention elsewhere.
“I won’t be watching the Leverkusen game on Sunday,” he said. “I’ll watch Arsenal.”
The Champions League is the only trophy still up for grabs for the German giants following a disappointing domestic campaign.
And ahead of the quarter-final return leg in Munich on Wednesday, Tuchel has hinted he will rotate his side for the visit of Cologne.
“We’ve got several days between Cologne and Arsenal, but there’s the consideration to throw in some other players and make some changes,” said the former Chelsea manager, who is leaving Munich at the end of the season.
“If we make changes, then it’s more to give players some match rhythm for Wednesday and not to rest anybody.”
Leroy Sane is among those unlikely to feature on Saturday.
The former Manchester City winger impressed for Bayern at the Emirates on Tuesday night before he was substituted in the second half.
“It’s about how much pain he can tolerate,” added Tuchel of Sane.
“We geared everything towards him being able to play for Arsenal. He was an important factor there and played a great game.
“Since he showed a reaction, we’re focusing on him on Wednesday. The plan is for him to return on Sunday or Monday. But if he plays, he’ll show a reaction in his pubic bone again, which will remain the case for the time being.
“It’s clear what assets and talent the boy has. But we’ve been waiting for him to score a competitive goal since October. He got off to an outstanding start to the season, but he’s slowed down a bit.
“The expectations before the Arsenal first leg were huge and he delivered. We expect him to keep pushing himself, then he’ll be a key player for us.”
Tuchel will watch Saturday’s match from the stands after he was shown a fourth yellow card of the season in last weekend’s shock defeat to Heidenheim.
Cologne are four points from safety and Bayern are unbeaten in their last 19 meetings against their opponents on Saturday.
Mikel Arteta credited his players for dealing with Arsenal’s “emotional” 2-2 draw with Bayern Munich in their Champions League quarter-final first leg on Tuesday.
Bukayo Saka opened the scoring for the Gunners, who then conceded two quickfire goals before substitute Leandro Trossard struck to ensure the teams head to Germany all square.
Arteta admitted emotions were running high in north London but maintained that his players did well to deal with the pressure in order to score late on ahead of the second leg at Allianz Arena next week.
Speaking ahead of Arsenal’s Premier League clash with Aston Villa on Sunday, Arteta said: “There was a lot to take from the game and especially how we managed emotionally.
“We were very dominant and ahead and in 15 minutes we were behind a top side and had to deal with that emotionally, which is really tough to do and I think the team did brilliantly to manage that situation.
“It’s something which you have to work on daily (dealing with emotions) when you are there you are ready, leaving stuff in your system and as a team being able to deal with them.”
Arsenal, on 71 points, lead the title race on goal difference as they continue their bid to lift their first league title since 2003.
Spanish boss Arteta says his players want to do even more in their final eight league matches and in the Champions League to clinch silverware at the end of the season.
When asked how defining the next few weeks are for Arsenal, Arteta added: “Very, for sure because we can be in the semi-finals of the Champions League and top of the Premier League so every game is going to define what our future looks like.
“They are super excited about what we are doing, the way the team is performing, winning matches, they want more.
“We know the task and challenge ahead of us and how good we have to be to win but we will try.
Injury-stricken Villa, whose patchy form has seen them pick up one win in five, have slipped out of the top four behind Tottenham.
Despite Villa’s domestic wobble, Arteta talked up Sunday’s hosts and fellow Spanish manager Unai Emery, who recently celebrated his 1,000th game in management with a 2-1 Europa Conference League win over Lille.
Arteta said: “Unai’s had such a big impact at the club in terms of performances and consistency. It is unbelievable what he is doing in European competition and I’m impressed.
“He’s unbelievable and he’s done it in so many different countries and he’s been incredibly successful.
“He’s close to my home town and I have huge admiration for him and I wish him the best after Sunday. What he’s doing is really impressive.”
What the papers say
Manchester City will be hoping to stave off competitors Liverpool, Barcelona and Paris St Germain for 21-year-old Bayern Munich forward Jamal Musiala according to the Independent. The 21-year-old from Germany has scored 10 goals in 23 matches in the Bundesliga this season.
The Mirror says Arsenal are now rethinking their plans for Brentford striker Ivan Toney due to the form of German forward Kai Havertz. The 24-year-old has scored five goals in his last seven matches, with the club now considering looking for a younger forward.
Chelsea could let 11 players leave the club this summer, the Sun says, with 24-year-old midfielder Conor Gallagher expected to be one of those players.
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Viktor Gyokeres: The 25-year-old Sporting Lisbon forward is a top transfer target for Arsenal, but they will have to pay £85million to match the club’s release clause.
Piero Hincapie: Tottenham could look to sign the 22-year-old Bayer Leverkusen defender as manager Ange Postecoglou has made a defender one of his priorities in the summer, Teamtalk says.
Cesc Fabregas believes Arsenal could go on to dominate English football in the coming years if they can get over the line in this year’s Premier League title race.
The Gunners currently lead a three-way battle with Liverpool and Manchester City, sitting on top of the table ahead of the Reds on goal difference.
Having fallen away from the title race last season, Mikel Arteta’s side are sticking around and former midfielder Fabregas says the mindset will change by becoming winners this term.
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“Obviously you can imagine what it will mean. More than just winning a title but the belief will be back, the trust between the players and the staff and the fans and the whole club,” the Spaniard, who played over 300 times for the Gunners, told the PA news agency.
“The family that was there when I was there will be back, the moments of ‘we are strong and we know we can win’; at the moment it is a little bit ‘are we ready are we not’?
“If they can manage to win the first one, I believe it could become a constant threat for Arsenal to be challenging for all the top titles.”
Arteta, whose side drew 2-2 with Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarter-final first leg on Tuesday, came under pressure at the start of his tenure as his project took time to come to fruition.
But the Gunners stuck with him and Fabregas, who is now assistant manager at Italian Serie B club Como, says his former club are an example of how to do things properly.
“It is all about Edu and the owners giving him the time and the right tools to prove himself,” he said.
“When this happens, the structure, the vision and the trust comes together and things happen. That is why I am happy.
“I always use them as an example, the first two years of Mikel, in any other club or someone else managing the situation could have just got rid of Mikel and said ‘we are moving to another direction’.
“But they had a clear plan, a clear process, they had the right steps, they invested in young quality players and now you get all the results of these ups and downs of the first two or three years.
“They are there, they have done really well and they are a proper example of how football should be done.”
Fabregas will be donning his boots again as he has signed up to Enterprise’s ‘Rent-A-Player’ campaign, where he will join a lucky five-a-side team in the UK for one night only.
The 2010 World Cup winner knows all about the physicality and passion of English football after long spells at Arsenal and Chelsea, so knows to bring his shin pads.
“For me it will be a great experience, he added. “Talking to people, seeing different views of football. I guess it’s like street football and exchanging stories, thoughts, experiences. It is going to be fantastic.
“I will definitely be taking the shin pads because these games are very competitive, you never know where it might lead.”
:: Entry to Enterprise’s ‘Rent-A-Player’ competition closes on Friday, April 12, with applicants in the UK able to enter via enterpriserent-a-player.com
Leandro Trossard believes a “top level” performance is required to topple Bayern Munich after salvaging Arsenal a 2-2 draw from a captivating Champions League quarter-final first leg.
Gunners substitute Trossard levelled with 14 minutes remaining on Tuesday evening to leave the tie perfectly poised ahead of next week’s return match at Allianz Arena.
Former Arsenal forward Serge Gnabry and ex-Tottenham striker Harry Kane had turned the contest in Bayern’s favour following Bukayo Saka’s early opener.
“They have showed how they can hurt us so we need to work on that for next week,” Trossard told his club’s website.
“If we are at our top level, we can beat them. Hopefully we can finish it there.
“The confidence is really high. We’re playing so well the last weeks, months and it’s just nice that we had the equaliser.
“It was a perfect goal for us and it was a great feeling.
“It’s so important to go to Munich and have that result, so it’s all to play for.”
Ben White wasted a golden chance to double Arsenal’s lead after Saka’s 12th-minute strike sparked wild scenes at Emirates Stadium.
A defensive lapse allowed Gnabry to equalise before England captain Kane converted from the penalty spot when Leroy Sane’s mazy run was halted by the dangled leg of William Saliba.
The Premier League leaders were later given a let off when Swedish referee Glenn Nyberg opted not penalise a bizarre handball by Gunners defender Gabriel inside his own 18-yard box.
Trossard capitalised on the fortune by clinically finished his 13th goal of the season following fine work from fellow replacement Gabriel Jesus before Arsenal were denied a last-gasp penalty when Bukayo Saka went down under a challenge from goalkeeper Manuel Neuer.
Mikel Arteta’s men were left with contrasting emotions at the end of a breathless affair.
“It’s a mixed feeling, I would say,” said the 29-year-old Belgium forward.
“We started so well the first half – the first 15, 20 minutes we could have been up by three goals – and then you can see their quality, especially up front they have individual quality.
“They are so strong on the counter attack and that’s where they hurt us. At the end, we’re happy with the equaliser and we have to do it there. It will be a tough game.”
Harry Kane says the bitter pill of Bayern Munich’s doomed Bundesliga title defence and the prospect of a Wembley final is fuelling his desire for Champions League glory.
Former Tottenham star Kane returned to haunt familiar foes Arsenal by converting a first-half penalty in Tuesday evening’s thrilling quarter-final first leg which ended tantalisingly poised at 2-2.
Bayern’s 11-season run as German champions could be over before next week’s return match with the Gunners as unbeaten runaway leaders Bayer Leverkusen sit 16 points clear with only 18 left to play for.
England captain Kane has understandably written off domestic silverware but retains hope of ending the season on a high under the arch of his country’s national stadium on June 1.
“Look, it’s a competition that the club want to win,” he said.
“Not winning the Bundesliga this year is a tough pill to swallow and it makes this competition even more important but we know there’s still a long way to go.
“We have to find that togetherness, we have to find that team ethic where we grind out games because we haven’t done it enough this year.
“In the Champions League, we’ve done well, had a good campaign but we will need more of that if we want to go all the way to Wembley.”
Kane was cast in the role of pantomime villain at a raucous Emirates Stadium and responded with his 15th career goal against the Gunners to help keep Bayern’s season alive.
The 30-year-old, who now has a remarkable tally of 39 goals this term, sees parallels between his current team’s predicament and when Spurs reached the 2019 Champions League final despite finishing 27 points adrift of champions Manchester City in the top flight.
“That campaign itself is similar because we weren’t having a great time in the league if I’m totally honest,” he said
“But we found some passion and togetherness in the Champions League and we managed to get to the final.
“That experience gives me hope that we can find that again, we know we can perform in the big games and try to get back to the final.
“Being at Wembley is also extra motivation for me personally being my national stadium and it’s still there to try and achieve.”
Bayern departed north London feeling aggrieved after Swedish referee Glenn Nyberg opted against penalising Arsenal defender Gabriel for inexplicably picking up the ball in his own box after a David Raya goal kick in the 67th minute.
Manager Thomas Tuchel branded the decision “horrible”, while Kane and fellow ex-Spurs man Eric Dier were both left bemused.
Arsenal later appealed for an added-time penalty when Bukayo Saka tumbled under a challenge from visiting goalkeeper Manuel Neuer.
“It was a stonewall penalty and I don’t know why the ref didn’t give it,” Kane said of the Gabriel incident.
“It would have been strange. But the ref blew the whistle (for play to resume), he (Raya) passed it, he (Gabriel) picked it up, it would have been child like but that’s not our problem.
“The rules are the rules. Maybe they should have had one, we should have had one.”
Bayern’s sense of injustice was heightened by Leandro Trossard’s 76th-minute equaliser after goals from former Arsenal forward Serge Gnabry and Kane overturned Saka’s early opener.
Kane hopes to harness the passion of a packed out Allianz Arena in the second leg, having been relentlessly jeered by home supporters as the six-time European champions played in the absence of travelling fans due to a UEFA sanction.
“I think they have a soft respect for me, the Arsenal fans,” said Kane. “I was a fan when I was younger so I know how it goes and, for me, I just try to perform.
“For some reason, I get a lot of penalties at the Emirates and I’ve been happy I’ve been able to put them away and it will be nice to be at home next and in front of the Munich fans.
“It was hard with no fans, strange to have no-one there for us but I thought we dealt with it well and I think you’ll see them even more excited next week having not been to this game and maybe even louder than they usually are.
“Hopefully we can use that energy to our advantage and really try to put the pressure on.”
Harry Kane scored his 15th goal in 20 appearances against Arsenal as Bayern Munich drew 2-2 at the Emirates Stadium in the Champions League.
The former Tottenham striker enjoyed a prolific record in north London derbies and a summer change of scenery made no difference.
Here, the PA news agency looks at his record against his long-time rivals.
Scourge of the Gunners
Kane, released from Arsenal as an eight-year-old written off by then-academy boss Liam Brady as “a bit chubby”, wasted little time in senior football in showing them the error of their ways.
He scored both Spurs goals in his first derby, a 2-1 win in February 2015, and five in his first four Premier League games against the Gunners.
He was finally kept at bay in Arsenal’s 2-0 win in November 2017, and in a pair of League Cup ties, but scored in nine of his first 10 league derbies.
With 14 goals in 17 games, the Gunners were his third-favourite Premier League opponent – he scored 18 against Leicester and 15 versus Everton, in 16 appearances against each. Only he, Alan Shearer, Les Ferdinand, Sergio Aguero and Wayne Rooney have scored more than 14 against a single opponent in the competition, with Shearer’s 20 against Leeds a record.
Spurs won six, lost six and drew five of those 17 games but won five, drew five and lost only two when Kane scored. The two League Cup meetings brought one win apiece.
The goal for Bayern means he has scored at least once against Arsenal in each of the last 10 seasons.
On the spot
Kane put Bayern ahead in the 32nd minute on Tuesday from the penalty spot, a frequent source of goals for him against Arsenal.
William Saliba’s foul on Leroy Sane gave Kane the chance and he calmly sent David Raya the wrong way.
Of the 15 goals he has now scored against the Gunners, eight have been penalties – five out of six between 2016 and 2019 and each of his last three going back to May 2022.
The England captain has a 100 per cent record from penalties against Arsenal in his career.
Bayern Munich boss Thomas Tuchel fumed at the referee’s explanation for allowing Arsenal to escape punishment for a “kid’s mistake” during an exhilarating Champions League quarter-final first leg.
Bayern felt they were denied a clear penalty in the 66th minute of the breathless 2-2 draw at Emirates Stadium after Gunners defender Gabriel inexplicably picked up the ball following a David Raya goal kick.
Swedish match official Glenn Nyberg reportedly opted against awarding a spot-kick due the bizarre nature of the incident, with his on-field explanation branded “horrible” by former Chelsea manager Tuchel.
Six-time European champions Bayern led 2-1 at that stage before Gunners substitute Leandro Trossard levelled the tie ahead of next week’s return match in Munich.
“The referee made a huge mistake,” said Tuchel.
“I know it was a crazy situation. They put the ball down, he whistles and the defender takes the ball with his hands.
“What makes us really angry is the explanation on the pitch. He told our players it was a ‘kid’s mistake’ and he won’t give a penalty for that in a Champions League quarter-final.
“It’s a horrible, horrible explanation. Kid’s mistake, adult’s mistake, whatever – we feel angry because it was a huge decision against us.”
Bukayo Saka fired the hosts into a 12th-minute lead on a raucous north London evening.
But former Arsenal forward Serge Gnabry equalised before a penalty from ex-Tottenham striker Harry Kane turned the match in the Bavarians’ favour.
Trossard equalised and a helter-skelter contest threatened to have a late twist as Bayern substitute Kingsley Coman hit a post in the 90th minute before Saka was denied an added-time spot-kick after tumbling under a challenge from visiting goalkeeper Manuel Neuer.
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta, who offered no opinion on the Saka incident, rued a big chance missed by Ben White at 1-0 and defensive errors but remained upbeat about progressing to the last four.
“We started the game really well, we were dominant, we played in the opponents’ half,” he said.
“We generated some momentum, scored the first goal and then it’s a critical moment of the match, Ben White is in front of Neuer to make it 2-0 and we have to put the ball in the back of the net and it becomes a different moment.
“And then in Champions League you cannot give anything to the opponent.
“We have given them two goals today and when you have this situation they are going to punish you.
“In a certain way we are alive and we’ve done what we had to do when the game became very difficult for us but as well as understanding that, we have to step up the level in certain aspects of the game.
“I sense the belief there, we are going to go to Munich and have the chance to win it and we’re going to be better in certain areas and that’s how we are going to prepare it.”
Harry Kane knew it was not just Bayern Munich fans who wanted him to score on his return to north London in the Champions League quarter-final first leg against Arsenal.
Tottenham’s record scorer was back at the Emirates Stadium for the first time since leaving Spurs in the summer and scored his customary goal when he converted a first-half penalty to put the German side 2-1 up before half-time.
Kane kept his cool after Leroy Sane had been fouled not long after Serge Gnabry had cancelled out Bukayo Saka’s early opener.
No opposition player has scored more goals at the Emirates than Kane, who scored plenty of penalties for Spurs over the years and he knew his old fans would have been watching.
“I think they have a soft respect for me,” he said of Arsenal fans who were goading him during his interview on TNT Sports.
“I know there wasn’t just Bayern Munich fans watching this game tonight, so maybe there was a little bit more pressure. It is always a tough game.
“I have done a bit of research of the penalties against Porto, he (David Raya) was reading it into the corners early so I had to change my style a little bit.
“It was nice to see him go early and make it easy for me.”
Leandro Trossard’s second-half strike ensured it ended 2-2 and leaves it finely poised for next week’s second leg in Munich.
Kane said: “You have seen it over the last couple of years, probably my last season at Tottenham, they were really strong and had a good go at winning the league.
“They are a really good team, we changed how we defended without the ball. More of a 4-4-2 and had to work and dig deep.
“We know we are playing a top team and they are on top of Premier League for a reason. Tough game.”
The Champions League represents Kane’s only real chance of silverware in his debut season in Munich following his side’s capitulation in the Bundesliga title race.
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Despite their poor league campaign, Kane has loved his debut season in Germany, where he has scored 39 goals in 38 matches.
He added: “It’s been an amazing experience, of course the league hasn’t gone the way I or the club would have wanted it to go, but for me personally it has been an amazing experience.
“To see a different culture, to see a different league, it has been a great step in my career.
“The league has gone this year but I am at Munich for a long time and I know we will come back stronger.”
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta believes his side can still beat Bayern Munich after admitting they were below-par in Tuesday’s Champions League quarter-final first-leg draw.
Leandro Trossard’s late equaliser made it 2-2 at the Emirates after goals from former Gunner Serge Gnabry and ex-Tottenham striker Harry Kane overturned Bukayo Saka’s early opener.
That means it is all to play for in Munich next week and Arteta said on TNT Sports: “I have a lot of belief we can go there and beat them. We have to prepare really well.
“We scored a really good goal and then after that is the moment of the game when Ben (White) is in front of (Manuel) Neuer and if we make it 2-0 it would be a very different match.
“After that the ball is open, we gave it to the opponent and they scored. That created some uncertainty.
“The second goal as well is unusual for us to concede but this is the Champions League, if you make a mistake you get punished.
“A lot of things today we have not done to the standards we usually do and that has allowed them spaces to run and they are very dangerous.
“The Champions League, if you give something they take it.”
Arsenal felt they should have been awarded a penalty in the final moments when Saka looked to have been fouled by Neuer but the referee waved away protests and VAR confirmed the decision.
Arteta said: “(The referee) didn’t say anything. They said they checked it and they decided it wasn’t a penalty.”
Harry Kane was denied a fairytale return to north London as Arsenal hit back to claim a 2-2 draw from an exhilarating Champions League quarter-final first leg with Bayern Munich.
Tottenham’s all-time record scorer claimed his 15th career goal in 20 appearances against the Gunners by converting a first-half penalty to put the German club on course for victory at a raucous Emirates Stadium.
But substitute Leandro Trossard left the tie perfectly poised ahead of next week’s return match with a 76th-minute equaliser after Bukayo Saka’s early opener was cancelled out by former Arsenal forward Serge Gnabry.
Six-time European champions Bayern almost snatched a 90th-minute winner when Kingsley Coman struck a post, while Saka was denied an added-time spot-kick following a challenge from Manuel Neuer in a breathless finale.
England captain Kane played the role of pantomime villain throughout and, aside from registering his 39th goal of a remarkable season, could have been sent off for swinging an elbow into the neck of Gabriel.
Amid an Islamic State terror threat, Bayern arrived in England on the cusp of relinquishing the Bundesliga title for the first time in 12 seasons having slipped 16 points adrift of runaway leaders Bayer Leverkusen.
The presence of ex-Tottenham pair Kane and Eric Dier, plus Gnabry, added extra intrigue to a mouthwatering match while the sold-out stadium was without travelling fans due to a UEFA sanction imposed for supporters throwing fireworks on to the pitch in Bayern’s last-16 win over Lazio.
Thomas Tuchel’s men were greeted by a deafening noise from the partisan crowd and the ground was rocking with just 12 minutes on the clock thanks to Saka’s magic.
The England international was freed inside Bayern’s area by Ben White following defensive dithering and duly produced a sumptuous first-time curling finish into the bottom left corner to spark jubilation in the stands.
White should have recreated those scenes when he squandered a golden chance by firing straight at fit-again Bayern goalkeeper Neuer after being slipped clear by Kai Havertz before the Gunners gifted their opponents an 18th-minute equaliser.
Gabriel sloppily conceded possession following a miscommunication with David Raya, culminating in Gnabry latching on to Leon Goretzka’s through-ball to finish through the legs of the Gunners keeper.
Arsenal came into this stage of the competition for the first time since 2010 on the back of four consecutive clean sheets.
But their usually reliable backline once again creaked in costly fashion with half an hour played as Kane delighted in silencing the terraces.
Leroy Sane’s mazy run from halfway was halted only by the dangled leg of William Saliba and, after Raya moved early, Kane coolly rolled the ball into the bottom right corner from 12 yards to further torment Spurs’ fiercest rivals.
Following the euphoria of the early breakthrough, Arsenal could easily have been two goals behind at the break as the last-ditch attempts of White and Martin Odegaard were required to deny Sane when clean through.
Arsenal returned to the field with renewed purpose but struggling to create.
Kane escaped with a booked after catching Gabriel before later seeing a long-range effort deflect wide as Bayern remained a threat on the break.
With time ticking away and a frustrating evening on the cards, Mikel Arteta’s Premier League leaders levelled.
Gabriel Jesus worked space inside Bayern’s box before teeing up fellow replacement Trossard to slot into the bottom left corner beyond Neuer and raise the decibel levels.
Bayern substitute Coman poked against the frame of the goal as a helter-skelter encounter threatened another twist before Swedish referee Glenn Nyberg was booed off for failing to punish Neuer’s potential trip on Saka.
UEFA insists this week’s Champions League quarter-final ties will go ahead as scheduled amid an Islamic State terror threat.
Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium will host the first leg of the Gunners’ last-eight tie against Bayern Munich on Tuesday evening, while Manchester City are also in action away to Real Madrid.
A media outlet linked to the terror group has issued a threat concerning all four of this week’s ties, and European football’s governing body UEFA has now issued a statement on the matter.
“UEFA is aware of alleged terrorist threats made towards this week’s UEFA Champions League matches and is closely liaising with the authorities at the respective venues,” the statement said.
“All matches are planned to go ahead as scheduled with appropriate security arrangements in place.”
What the papers say
West Ham will join Liverpool, Tottenham and AC Milan in the hunt for 26 -year-old Fulham defender Tosin Adarabioyo, according to the Guardian. The former Manchester City player will be a free agent in summer, but Fulham are hoping to retain his services.
Football Insider says Chelsea are trying to secure the signature of Athletic Bilbao forward Nico Williams for £43million. The 21-year-old Spain international has scored six goals and had 14 assists for Athletic in all competitions this season.
Former Arsenal loanee Dani Ceballos is set to leave Real Madrid for rivals Atletico Madrid as he struggles for game time at the LaLiga leaders, the Sun reports. The 27-year-old Spain midfielder has played just 14 games for the Real Madrid in the league this season, mostly as a substitute.
Social media round-upPlayers to watch
Mohamed Salah: The 31-year-old Liverpool striker is set to be targeted once again by Saudi Pro League clubs this summer with Al Ittihad reportedly set to offer £70million for the Egypt star, Talksport says.
Lucas Paqueta: French media outlet L’Equipe says Manchester City have agreed to terms with the 26-year-old West Ham midfielder.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is braced for Bayern Munich setting aside their Bundesliga struggles to produce their best possible performance in the Champions League quarter-finals.
The six-time European champions have endured a disappointing domestic campaign and travel to Emirates Stadium for Tuesday’s first leg on the cusp of relinquishing the German title for the first time in 12 years.
Bayern boss Thomas Tuchel is poised to depart his role at the end of the season, with his team currently 16 points adrift of leaders Bayer Leverkusen following four defeats in their last eight league outings.
Asked if the opposition’s poor form was relevant to the European tie, Arteta replied: “From my side, no.
“It’s something we have no say in, no control of. We just expect all the time the best from your opponent.
“Against Bayern, against any opponent, regardless of where they are you always have to expect that they play in their best possible way and be prepared to out perform them.
“Football is such a competitive environment and difficult to be consistent that this can happen to anybody.
“They are a top team. I am a big admirer of Thomas: his teams, the way they set up, the way they play, what they transmit.
“We have to take our game where we want it and if we do that we’ll have a chance to win.”
German champions-elect Leverkusen – managed by Xabi Alonso – thumped Bayern 3-0 in February en route to building their runaway lead.
Spaniard Arteta was coy on whether he had approached compatriot Alonso for advice on how to defeat the Bavarian club.
“Great question but I’m not going to answer that,” he replied with a smile.
Arteta is relishing the pivotal final weeks of the season, with his Premier League leaders chasing a domestic and European double.
The Gunners have not played at this stage of the Champions League since the 2009-10 season and were hammered 5-1 on each of their previous three meetings with Bayern, in 2015 and both legs of a 2017 last-16 tie.
Arteta, who was a non-playing member of Arsene Wenger’s squad for the first of those thrashings, has little interest in dwelling on the past as he strives for silverware.
“It’s irrelevant, we just focus on the performance that we have to put in to beat a top and exceptional team with exceptional individuals,” he said.
“We have to earn every right to try to make it happen.
“We haven’t been in this position for 14 years. For this club it’s a long, long time and we realise that and that’s why we have this hunger and desire to make it happen.
“This is where we want to be. We are in a really good position in the Premier League and we’re in a really good position in the Champions League.
“We have a big task ahead of us against one of the most successful clubs in Europe. That’s the hurdle we have to overcome and we’re looking forward to it.”
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